Twin-layered divider



Oct. 13, 1964 G, VRANA TWIN-LAYERED DIVIDER Filed June 11, 1963 ,|&

INVENTOR. GEORGE VRANA l WFW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,152,744TWIN-LAYERED DIVIDER George Vrana, New York, N.Y., assignor to RiegelPaper Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June11, 1963, Ser. No. 286,971 Claims. (Cl. 229-) The present inventionrelates to dividers or separators for providing a plurality ofcompartments or cells in bags, cartons, envelopes, and the like, andmore particularly to a twin-layered divider of greatly simplified,economical, and rigid construction.

It is often desirable in the packaging of cookies, pastries, and thelike, to keep each of the packaged items separated to preserve theindividual identity and shape of such contents. Moreover, it isfrequently desired to package such items in more than one layer forenhancing their display.

Specifically, the present invention relates to a divider which providesa plurality of open compartments in twin layers disposed in aback-to-back relation to accommodate maximum display of the contentswhen overwrapped with a transparent bag or container. More specifically,the new and improved divider is erected quickly and easily from aU-shaped channel member and a pair of L- shaped, cell-forming membersinserted therein, which U- shaped channel member is folded back uponitself to form twin, multiple-celled layers. The cell-forming membersand the channel member cooperate in a unique manner to provide asimplified, rigid divider structure in which each of the cells has abottom wall and at least two side walls.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, referenceshould be made to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank for a special channel member embodyingthe principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a special cell-forming member embodying theprinciples of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a partially erected divider structure ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the special channel member partiallyfolded back upon itself during the formation of the divider structure;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the special channel and cellforming members ofa partially erected divider structure; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a fully erected divider structureembodying the principles of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a channel blank 10, preferably madeof paperboard or the like, is suitably cut and scored to provide a frontweb portion 11 hinged to a rear web portion 12 along a line of weakness13, preferably formed from a series of cut and blind scores, as shown. Apair of front flanges 14, 15 are articulated to the front web 11 alongscore lines 16, 17 extending along the blank 10, while a pair of rearflanges 18, 19 are articulated to the rear web 12 along the same scorelines. The flanges 14, 18 and 15, 19, are mutually separated by cuts 20,21, respectively, extending outwardly from the score lines 16, 17 to theedges of the blank 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, a cut 22, extending from within the flange 14 intothe flange 15, divides the front web portion 11 in half. A cut 23,extending substantially parallel to the cut 22 but intersecting it atboth ends short of its termini, forms an elongated slot 24 in the frontweb and notches 25, 26 in the front flanges 14, 15, respectively.Similarly, cuts 27, 28 form a slot 23 in the rear web portion 12 andnotches 30, 31 in the rear flanges 18, 19, respectively.

With reference to FIG. 2 a blank 32 having rounded corners 32' issuitably cut and scored t0 define a separator panel 33 articulated to abottom panel 34 along a score line 35. The separator panel includesY-notches 36, 37 spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the webportions 11, 12. Advantageously, the width of the flanges 14, 15, 18, 19is equal to the width of the separator panel 33. The bottom panel 34 hasa width equal to half the length of the web portions 11, 12 andadvantageously de fines at the free edge thereof a slight recess 38having a length substantially equal to the width of the web portions 11,12. As will be understood, the aforementioned elements are appropriatelydimensioned to provide ultimately a divider structure having twelvesubstantially square cells. However, the dimensions may be varied, asfound to be necessary, to provide rectangular cells to accommodate thespecific shape of any product being packaged.

The notches 36, 37, 25, 26, 30, 31 described hereinabove are depictedwith divergent entrance portions to facilitate their cooperativeengagement. Further, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat an important feature of the notches is the provision of positivefrictional engagement with the elements to be received in the notches.

Erection of a twelve-cell divider structure, having two layers of sixcells each, may be simply and efliciently accomplished as follows: Theflanges 14, 15, 18, 19 of the blank 10 are folded in the same directionperpendicularly to the web portions 11, 12 to form a U-shaped channelmember 40, as shown in FIG. 3. The notches 36, 37 of a pair of blanks 32are then inserted into the notches 25, 26, 30, 31, as illustrated in thedrawing, and the bottom panels 34 are folded in the same directiontoward and into an overlying relation with the front and rear Webportions 11, 12.

In accordance with the invention, the U-shaped channel member 40, withthe inserted and folded blanks 32, is then folded back upon itself, asclearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, toform an H-shaped channel member 41(FIG. 6). The H-shaped channel member 41 clamps or sandwiches the bottompanels 34 between the front and rear webs 11, 12, which may be joinedtogether or to the panels 34 by an adhesive 42 or other suitable means.As will be appreciated, the recess 38 enables the webs 11, 12 to befolded over the panels 34 without binding or tearing the hinge formed bythe line of weakness 13.

The completed divider structure shown in FIG. 6 is of simplified andeconomical design, rigid, and otherwise advantageous. With the new andimproved construction, the individual channel members and separatormembers are quickly and easily assembled and are mutually supported andstrengthened. In the assembled divider, the flanges of the channelmember 41 are supported by the notches 36, 37 in the separator panels33, while the bottom panels 34 are supported by the web portions 11, 12of the channel member.

The completed structure provides two layers having six separatecompartments or cells, each of which cells has a bottom wall. Moreover,the new and improved divider structure disclosed hereinabove, may befabricated efliciently and economically with minimum quantities ofcardboard and a minimum number of parts.

The array of cells in twin layers enhances the display of the packagedcontents, while utilizing, with maximum efliciency, both sides of thebottom panels of the cell-forming members to define bottom walls foreach of the individual compartments. Moreover, the unique cooperation ofthe channel member and the cell-forming members provides a dividerstructure of neat appearance and substantial rigidity, which dividerstructure may be simply and economically produced.

The divider structure, having twelve cells, disclosed hereinabove hasbeen described for purposes of illustration only, and it is "to beunderstood that a structure having a different number ofcells may bereadily made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.Thus, certain changes in details of construction and arrangement ofelements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A multi-cellular divider unit for closed containers and the like,comprising (a) a channel member having a web and flanges extendingtherefrom,

(b) said channel member being formed from a paperboard blank cut andscored to define said web and said flanges,

(c) each of said flanges being bisected by a cut,

(d) a hinge dividing said web into front and rear portions,

(2) said web portions being folded upon one another along said hinge toform a channel member having an H-shaped cross section,

(f) said front and rear web portions defining divider slots extendingthereacross,

(g) said slots extending beyond said web portions and into said flangesto define notches therein, and

(h) a pair of cell-forming members,

(1') each of said cell-forming members'being formed from a paperboardblank cut and scored to define a bottom panel and a separator panel,

(j) each of said cell-forming members being folded to have an L-shapedconfiguration,

(k) each of said separator panels defining a pair of spaced notches,

(l) the notches in said separator panel extending into and interlockingwith the notches of said flanges,

(m) said separator panels cooperating with said flanges to form wallsfor multiple compartments,

(n) each of said bottom panels being folded into overlying relation withone of said web portions and being sandwiched between said upper andlower web structure, compris- (f) the spacing of said notches beingsubstantially equal to the width of said webs,

(g) said notches of said separator panels frictionally engaging saidflanges to hold said flanges in a fixed spaced relation,

(h) said bottom panels overlying said web and extending outwardlytherefrom,

(i) said web portions holding said bottom panels therebetween,

(j) the inner surfaces of said flanges, said web portions and saidseparator panel forming a first plurality of compartments,

(k) the outer surfaces of said flanges, said separator panels and saidbottom panels forming a second plurality of compartments.

3. The divider structure of claim 2, in which,

(a) said flanges define notch means cooperating with said separatorpanels,

(b) said web includes a hinge means defining said axis.

4. The divider structure of claim 2, which includes (a) means formaintaining said front and rear web portions in back-to-back relation.

5. A twin-layered, twelve-cell divider for bags and the like, comprising(a) a U-shaped channel member formed from a paperboard blank suitablycut and scored to provide a web and flanges,

(b) a hinge means dividingsaid web into front and rear web portions,

(0) cuts dividing said flanges into front and rear flanges,

(d) notch means dividing said front and rear flanges,

and

(e) a pair of cell-forming members, each of which is formed from apaperboard blank suitably cut and scored to provide a separato. panelarticulated to a bottom panel,

( said separator panel defining a pair of notches therein,

(g) said notches engaging and holding said flanges,

(h) the inner surfaces of said flanges, said web portions and saidseparator panels forming four cells,

(i) the outer surfaces of said flanges, said separator panels and saidbottom panels forming eight cells when said front and rear web portionsare folded to sandwich said bottom panels therebetween,

(j) said formed cells being equally divided in twin layers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A MULTI-CELLULAR DIVIDER UNIT FOR CLOSED CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE,COMPRISING (A) A CHANNEL MEMBER HAVING A WEB AND FLANGES EXTENDINGTHEREFROM, (B) SAID CHANNEL MEMBER BEING FORMED FROM A PAPERBOARD BLANKCUT AND SCORED TO DEFINE SAID WEB AND SAID FLANGES, (C) EACH OF SAIDFLANGES BEING BISECTED BY A CUT, (D) A HINGE DIVIDING SAID WEB INTOFRONT AND REAR PORTIONS, (E) SAID WEB PORTIONS BEING FOLDED UPON ONEANOTHER ALONG SAID HINGE TO FORM A CHANNEL MEMBER HAVING AN H-SHAPEDCROSS SECTION, (F) SAID FRONT AND REAR WEB PORTIONS DEFINING DIVIDERSLOTS EXTENDING THEREACROSS, (G) SAID SLOTS EXTENDING BEYOND SAID WEBPORTIONS AND INTO SAID FLANGES TO DEFINE NOTCHES THEREIN, AND (H) A PAIROF CELL-FORMING MEMBERS, (I) EACH OF SAID CELL-FORMING MEMBERS BEINGFORMED